Counterfeit Drugs: How Pharmacists Can Help Protect the Medication Supply
Please read through the following information and click continue.
ACPE Universal Program Number:
207-000-08-020-H05-P; 207-000-08-020-H05-T
Release Date: March 15, 2008
Expiration Date: March 15, 2011
Statement
of Need
Counterfeit
drugs, including fake, substandard, adulterated, or falsely labeled
(misbranded) medicines, have become a growing threat to global health.
The most widely cited estimate is that 10 percent of the world's drug
supply is counterfeit. Increasingly sophisticated counterfeiting rings
are integrating counterfeits into the legitimate drug supply. The
problem is especially serious in developing countries, where supply
shortages, lax regulations and oversight, and corruption allow the
trade to thrive. According to the World Health Organization, 60 percent
of counterfeit drugs cases take place in less-developed countries where
hundreds of thousands die from ineffective medicines. Most recently,
the U.S. drug supply, among the most secure in the world, is
increasingly threatened by counterfeit or substandard drugs. In the
last five years, counterfeit drug investigations by the FDA have
increased almost ten-fold. Furthermore, it is believed that the number
of detected incidents of counterfeits is a mere fraction of the real
number of cases. The community pharmacist is the last "gatekeeper" in
the chain of drug distribution to the patient. All community
pharmacists want to know the signs they should look for to identify
counterfeits and keep them out of their inventory and away from their
patients. This program will help pharmacists use "due diligence" to
make every effort possible to recognize and initiate strategies to
prevent counterfeit drugs from reaching the patient.
Learning
Objectives
Upon
successful completion of this activity, the pharmacist should be able
to:
- Understand the global and domestic impact of counterfeit pharmaceuticals.
- Identify various ways that counterfeit drug products enter the drug distribution system of the U.S.
- Review regulatory and law enforcement actions that the FDA is addressing to ensure the safety of the drug supply chain in the U.S.
- Discuss the unique role of the pharmacist and the importance of "due diligence" strategies in preventing counterfeit medications in the US drug supply.
Target
Audience
The
target audience for this activity is pharmacists and pharmacy
technicians.
Instructions
for Participation
To
receive a certificate of completion that indicates your eligibility for
continuing education credit, you must:
- Review the content of the activity.
- Successfully complete the post-test (70% or higher).
- You will have two (2) opportunities to successfully complete the activity.
Your statement of credit will be issued immediately upon successful completion of the post-test and submission of the evaluation.
Fee
There
is no fee for this activity.
Commercial
Support Statement
Commercial
support provided by Ortho McNeil.
 |
Accreditation
Pharmacists
NCPA is accredited by the Accreditation Council
for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.
This program will provide 1.5 contact hours (.15 CEUs) of continuing
pharmacy education credit under the number 207-000-08-020-H05-P;
207-000-08-020-H05-T.
Faculty
Eleni
Anagnostiadis, RPh (click
here to view bio)
Associate Executive Director
National Association of Boards of Pharmacy
Mount Prospect, Illinois
Katherine
Eban (click
here to view bio)
Investigative Reporter and Author
New York, New
York
Disclosure
Declaration
It
is the policy of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA)
to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, scientific rigor, and
integrity in all of their continuing education activities.
The author, sponsor, and publisher of this continuing education activity have made all reasonable efforts to ensure that information contained herein is accurate in accordance with the latest available scientific knowledge at the time of accreditation of this continuing education program. Information regarding drugs (e.g., their administration, dosages, contraindications, adverse reactions, interactions, special warnings, precautions) and drug delivery systems are subject to change, however, the reader is advised to check the manufacturer's package insert for information concerning recommended dosage and potential problems or cautions prior to dispensing or administering the drug or using the drug delivery systems.
Approval of credit for this continuing education activity does not imply endorsement by NCPA of any product or manufacturer identified.
Any medications or treatment methods suggested in this CE activity should not be used by the practitioner without evaluation of their patient's condition(s) and possible contraindication(s) or danger(s) of use of any specific medication.
Software Requirements
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MAC |
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